Go-cart driver arrested after chase through downtown St. Paul

The go-cart that police chased through downtown St. Paul on Tuesday night, Aug. 10, 2010, at top speeds of 20 mph. The cart, driven by 19-year-old Say Hai went through red lights and nearly swerved into oncoming traffic, police said Wednesday. According to police, Alcohol did not appear to be a factor. But because Hai refused to speak to police, officers don t really know what he was up to. Hai was arrested on suspicion of fleeing police in a motor vehicle. (Pioneer Press: Mara H. Gottfried)

The driver of a go-cart that police chased across downtown St. Paul on Tuesday night at top speeds of 20 mph went through two red lights and three Taser attacks and nearly puttered into oncoming traffic, police said Wednesday.

Say Hai's wild ride didn't appear to be alcohol- or drug-induced, police spokesman Andy Skoogman said. But because Hai, 19, refused to speak to police — even as they shouted at him with a bullhorn — officers didn't know what he was up to.

The harrowing yet unhurried chase began about 5:50 p.m. near 12th and Jackson streets. A police officer in a squad car saw Hai driving south on Jackson Street in what appeared to be a homemade go-cart with a lawnmower-size engine on the back.

The go-cart lacked a license plate, lights and turn signals and had three wheels and one very small lawnmower-like wheel on the front, Skoogman said.

"It was very low to the ground, so it was tough to see the vehicle on the road," he said. "The officers believed, and rightfully so, that the go-cart was unsafe on the road."

The officer turned on his lights and siren and pulled behind the go-cart. Hai looked back but turned around without a word and kept driving, police said.

"He refused to pull over, despite lights and sirens and a megaphone they used to announce, 'Please pull over,' " Skoogman said. "He blew through a red light at Jackson and Ninth. He ran through the red light at Jackson and Fifth.

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"He swerved toward the center line, nearly crossing into oncoming traffic as he was going down Jackson. Officers pulled up alongside of him, on the left side, to make sure he didn't cross the center line."

Three other squad cars joined the chase, which led to the south end of Jackson, then east onto Kellogg Boulevard.

The four squad cars forced the go-cart into a parking lot at 390 E. Kellogg Blvd., near the main post office. Once there, the escapade continued a bit longer as Hai continued to weave around to try to escape, police said.

A chain blocked one end of the parking lot — 1 to 2 feet off the ground — and Hai tried to go under it, but "he was clotheslined in the neck area by the chain," Skoogman said. "He was able to stay on the cart."

At that point, an officer got out of his car, ran up to Hai and yelled at him to stop. Still the man refused, police said.

The driver accelerated toward the officer, Skoogman said. "He pointed a Taser at him and again yelled at him to stop."

He fired the Taser at Hai, who let go of his steering wheel and began to slow, but the shock abated and the man again grabbed hold of the steering wheel and tried to regain control.

The officer triggered the shock a second time, and the go-cart rolled to a stop. Officers yelled at Hai to get on the ground, but he instead tried to get up and fought with the first officer. The officer triggered the Taser a third time, and police arrested Hai, Skoogman said.

The man wouldn't identify himself, and fingerprints were used at the Ramsey County Jail to identify Hai, Skoogman said.

Hai doesn't have a criminal record in Minnesota, though he was arrested once in Georgia, Skoogman said. Hai didn't have a Minnesota driver's license, according to police reports. It wasn't known whether he has a license in another state.

Hai was arrested on suspicion of fleeing police in a motor vehicle. The Ramsey County attorney's office declined to charge him with a felony, and the St. Paul city attorney will review the case for possible misdemeanor charges, Skoogman said.